Merry Little Wishing Spritz by Cherie Colyer

October 7, 2021 By 1 Comment


Merry Little Wishing Spritz by Cherie Colyer
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Paranormal, Holiday
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Modern-day witch Cassie Moore’s cozy life turns upside down when her friend foresees the wrecking ball that threatens to destroy Cassie’s home and workplace. But Cassie isn’t giving up without a fight. She casts a well-intended spell meant to save her apartment and her job. But magic is unpredictable, especially when her friend casts a little charm of her own that has Cassie lusting after the man she desperately wants to despise.

Jack Quinn has had his eyes on Lakeside Books for years. He has big plans for the cozy waterfront property, but he didn’t expect to care about the store or its employees. And he never imagined he’d be drawn to a certain brown-eyed saleswoman.

Almost as if by magic.

This novella is the perfect story for when a reader is short on time but needs a quick fix of romance. Merry Little Wishing Spritz made me smile, grin, giggle and thoroughly entertained me. It kind of reminded me of Samantha in Bewitched, and when Cassie spoke to her cat, Smudge, it brought to mind a fond memory of Bell, Book and Candle when Gillian, the female lead, talks to her cat, Pyewacket. The thing is with this story, it’s more upbeat, sweet and playful with a happy ever after ending that left me happy and content.

I’m of the opinion that this story would make a delightful holiday movie which could be watched not only at Christmas, because of the mistletoe, but Halloween too, because good solid romance movies can span the holidays that happen towards the end of the year. I would really enjoy watching all the little pranks Cassie played on Jack. He was a good sport about it all – not suspecting a thing, of course. The scene with the reindeer made me grin.

The supporting cast is pretty much one person, Peyton, Cassie’s best friend. She’s the heroine’s cheerleader, confidant and conspirator in getting Cassie to open up to the possibility that Jack may not be like all the other losers Cassie had dated in the past. She was a perfect best friend and I liked her personality.

It was a stroke of genius to include the topic of gift giving to those in the community that had no one to give them gifts. Cassie and Peyton dressed up as adorable elves and that’s another reason why I could see this book being made into a film. There were so many details that touched the heart, coaxed emotions and feelings, and brought to life their little part of the world.

Merry Little Wishing Spritz is a happy romance story that includes a little paranormal zing of witchy wonderfulness to spice up the fun as Cassie and Jack fall in love. I’m glad I found this little gem and I believe a lot of readers are in for a treat when they read this book for themselves.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

From Rags to Kisses by Shana Galen

October 5, 2021 By Leave a Comment


From Rags to Kisses by Shana Galen
The Survivors, #11
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

She’s poor as a church mouse.

When young Jenny Tate stumbles over the beaten body of a boy in the streets of the London slums, her only intention is to rifle through his pockets. But the bruised lad charms her into helping him, and the next thing she knows, Aidan Sterling and she are fast friends, navigating life on the streets with all its dangers together. Jenny has learned never to trust or love anyone, but as the two grow up, they learn to rely on other. And then Aidan betrays her in the worst way possible.

He’s rich as a king.

Aidan Sterling is one of the richest men in England. He has everything he wants and no one to share it with. After risking his life in the army, he returned to England and made a fortune. Now he keeps his loneliness at bay by focusing on what he’s good at—making money. And then Jenny Tate steps unexpectedly back into his life. He’s never forgotten her and never stopped loving her. Jenny hasn’t forgotten him either, and she hasn’t forgiven him. She’s betrothed to a viscount and has a new life and wants nothing to do with Aidan. But the discovery of an ancient trunk, a hunt for a street urchin, and the interference of homing pigeons might just be enough to bring these two back together.

This is a delightful romance that has a surprising depth to it that I could related to. I enjoyed watching how two kids who started out with nothing except each other go their separate ways, and through life’s convoluted capriciousness, meet again on relatively the same playing field, but this time, it’s in the upper rungs of society. One accomplished it through sheer grit and determination, the other made the most of an opportunity dropped in their lap. Basically, grabbing onto it with both hands and utilizing a different type of determination, jumped right in and never looked back. The how’s and whys of it is what kept me turning the pages. Rags to Kisses is a very apt title.

The reason I say I could relate to these characters, especially Aiden, is the lasting psychological effects of having food, shelter and/or financial insecurity. It’s nothing new – poverty has plagued the human race for many millennia – but understanding its effects on how one lives one’s life is a complicated endeavor. The author had each of her protagonists deal with it in different ways. Aiden’s choices make the most sense to me. One of the choices can be considered hoarding – keeping everything because ‘just in case’. In the hero’s case, it was making money, hoarding it, pursuing it, spending on the best to make up for his early years. Thing is, it’s a bitter cycle because unless something happens to kick them in the pants, and help them understand their drive, it can cause problems in relationships. They don’t understand that their drive would never allow them to feel ‘it’s enough’. It’s kind of sad. So, yeah, I felt for Aiden in a big way.

Jenny’s solution falls into a gray area. Again, it can be compared to real life when one person takes an interest in helping another person down on their luck at just the right time, and opens opportunities that otherwise would have been closed doors. What that person does with those opportunities depends on the drive, intelligence and work ethic they may have – it just needed a chance to thrive. That’s how I saw Jenny’s opportunity. The heroine was smart, not just street smart, but had an intuitive nature that when shaped and guided could produce someone with an acute acumen for business, finance and good deals or high-payoff opportunities. Jenny was given that chance from a most unlikely circumstance, yet, the person who reaches out to her isn’t exactly a cookie-cutter peer. I think that’s why it worked. The quirkiness of how everything played out fascinated me.

I realize that the scheme concocted between Jenny and Lord Chamberlayne is a trope that I’ve read about many, many times. I was a little concerned on how it would play out because it could have sunk this story if I didn’t like the way it was handled. I am happy to report that I truly felt Ms. Galen chose very well. The resolution, though not perfect, was perfect for the times and for their situation. It allowed a happy ever after for everyone concerned and I was content with Lord Chamberlayne’s decisions. In fact, I respected his character. Oscar, on the other hand, was simply charming, adorable and very easy to like. I can see why Jenny adored them so much – it wasn’t just gratitude for their taking a chance on her – the respect was mutual, and the friendship real and solid.

Now, the romance between Aiden and Jenny had many ups and downs. Their chemistry was hot, their feelings powerful and their initial wariness towards each other once they met again, was palpable yet understandable. Readers who like to be in the bedroom a bit to see if the fires burn as hot as they think, should be satisfied with the heat level. There’s no doubt that time has not dimmed their passions; I think they’re more pronounced because both Jenny and Aiden have matured and know what they want.

There was humor woven throughout the novel, like the scene with the pigeons, and Oscar was fun comic relief. There was also more character development in store for Aiden and that stems from his decision help his friend, FitzRoy find a character called Harley. I do believe Harley was in a previous story, so if fans of Ms. Galen remember then they can be assured of a wonderful resolution for the young scamp.

On the whole, Rags to Kisses is a great read, thoroughly entertaining and a wonderful addition to the series. This is an easy book to recommend because I didn’t stop reading until I reached the end. When I did turn the final page, I was surprised. Done, already? That’s the mark of a great read.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

*Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin

October 5, 2021 By Leave a Comment


*Last Seen Alone by Laura Griffin
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Up-and-coming attorney Leigh Larson fights for victims of sexual extortion, harassment, and online abuse. She is not afraid to go after the sleaziest targets to get payback for her clients. Leigh is laser-focused on her career—to the exclusion of everything else—until a seemingly routine case and a determined cop turn her world upside down.

Austin homicide detective Brandon Reynolds is no stranger to midnight callouts. But when he gets summoned to an abandoned car on a desolate road, he quickly realizes he’s dealing with an unusual crime scene. A pool of blood in the nearby woods suggests a brutal homicide. But where is the victim? The vehicle is registered to twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Adams. Searching the car, all Brandon finds is a smear of blood and a business card for Leigh Larson, attorney-at-law.

Vanessa had hired Leigh just before her disappearance, but Leigh has no leads on who could have wanted her dead. Faced with bewildering evidence and shocking twists, Leigh and Brandon must work against the clock to chase down a ruthless criminal who is out for vengeance.

Last Seen Alone is an intriguing and fast paced story that I found impossible to put down. This gritty story held me spellbound as I was trying to figure out what direction the story would take and it kept me guessing until the very end.

Brandon, a detective, is investigating a case of a missing woman when he meets Leigh, an attorney. At first, Brandon and Leigh try to fight the sizzling chemistry flowing between them. They are working on an important case and don’t have time for relationships. Plus, they don’t trust each other and are hesitant to share information about the case with each other. However, as time goes on and they are constantly thrown together, they find it impossible to resist each other.

I was biting my nails while reading this riveting story trying to figure out who was guilty, right along with Brandon and Leigh. Time is of the essence, but everything is getting in the way of understanding what is really going on.

This compelling story has just the right mixture of suspense and romance. It is an interesting and realistic story with characters that are layered and easy to connect with. It took me on an unexpected journey and I loved every minute of it. I love trying to figure out where the story is going, but this plot was so intricately woven I never knew what to expect. Unexpected, wonderful and well worth reading.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

*When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

October 4, 2021 By Leave a Comment


*When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.

Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.

Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.

Going from friends to lovers isn’t an easy transition. That is the premise in Helena Hunting’s newest book, When Sparks Fly. Helena Hunting is one of my favorite authors so naturally, I was excited to read this one.

Declan and Avery have been best friends since college and once they graduate, they become roommates. They have a great relationship and enjoy spending time together because they both love sports. They are athletic and love everything that has to do with the sports world. However, their friendship changes when Avery has a bad auto accident.

I liked Declan, although he is a manwhore. I found it is easy to forgive him because deep down he is insecure and dealing with baggage from his past. Declan is filled with self doubt when it comes to relationships and he doesn’t think he is suited to a long lasting relationship. So, his life is filled with a series of hookups with different women.

Avery is the perfect friend and Declan doesn’t want to ruin their perfect friendship by becoming intimate with her. The only problem is lately, he finds he can’t stop thinking about her and staying away from Avery becomes impossible.

Helena Hunting knows how to write romance and she doesn’t disappoint with this one. It is fun, slow burning and has entertaining characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Declan and Avery’s story. They have so much in common and are great together. They worry they will ruin their wonderful friendship if they take a chance on love, but I wanted them to work everything out and end up together. This tender story had me quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen next.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

A London Season by Joan Wolf

October 1, 2021 By Leave a Comment


A London Season by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Young Lady Jane Fitzmaurice had everything that Regency society approved of—flawless beauty, perfect breeding, and a respectable fortune.

But she also had a mind and heart of her own that set heads shaking and tongues wagging.

For other men though erectile dysfunction can end up http://cute-n-tiny.com/tag/horse/page/2/ tadalafil online canada being a thing of the past. The drug loosens the cialis pills for sale muscle of woman’s main reproductive organ work naturally. Chronic Prostatitis purchase cialis Can Be Caused by Pathogen Infection Prostate is located around bladder; its main function is urination and spermiation. It can also improve relationships for victims of erectile dysfunction, for a poor discover this the best sildenafil sex life can often put a strain on partnerships. Whoever heard of a well-born Miss spending more time in the saddle than in the drawing room? How could she prefer the company of David Chance, her handsome horse-trainer, to that of Julian Wrexham, the most attractive nobleman in England?

Lady Jane had taken London society by storm—but now a whirlwind of scandal was rising as she rode roughshod over all conventions and prepared to take a leap that could destroy her good name, and leave her heart forever broken…

I’m going to share a bit about me because it’s a powerful testimony to how great a book A London Season by Joan Wolf is. I am three months away from being half a century old. My days of staying up past my bedtime to read on a work night ended a while ago. I’ve accepted the fact. My husband jokes that ten p.m. is ‘pumpkin time’, no matter where I am or what I am doing, my body knows its bedtime. A London Season overrode my inner clock – I could not put the book down. It gave me a second wind or something because it was past midnight before I finished it. Even after I finished it, I wasn’t able to go to sleep because I was suffering from a wonderful ‘book glow’. It means that the book left me feeling full of joy, enthusiasm, energy, emotion and AWAKE! lol.

Why couldn’t I put the book down? Why did I love it so much? Let me tell you. First, I have to credit the author, Joan Wolf. I’ve read several of her books and I feel her stories are flawlessly written and I don’t feel they have cookie cutters formulas. A London Season was no exception. I was fully engaged from the beginning to the end. The characters were irresistible. Each person had their unique personality that I either loved or hate.

The synopsis gives a very good description of the heroine, Jane Fitzmaurice. She’s perfect in every way until she doesn’t get her way. A bit of a Jekyll and Hyde trait if I may say so. She definitely “set heads shaking and tongues wagging”. I loved it. I wouldn’t consider her a spoiled brat at all. I agree with the synopsis when it says “she had a mind and heart of her own”. I found her easy to relate to.

The hero, David Chance, was the heart of the book. David and Jane grew up together starting at a very young age. Their circumstances developed who they grew up to be. Their romance was slow, sweet and genuine. I enjoyed the ride with all the bumps, twists and turns. There is more that I want to share but I don’t want to give any spoilers. I suggest this book to be put on a readers list. It’s going on my keeper’s book shelf. I thoroughly enjoyed this seat-gripping journey to their happily ever after.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

The Wars Between Us by J.A. Boulet

September 30, 2021 By 6 Comments


The Wars Between Us by J.A. Boulet
Publisher: Self Published
Genre: Historical Romance
Rated: 4 stars
Review by Rose

An inner struggle of self destruction, a poignant love story and the terrifying Battle of the Atlantic.

Meet Zachary Olason. You’ll either love him or hate him.

Spanning the years from the Great Depression to WW2, this endearing summer release will capture your heart as Zack, a bad boy struggling on the brink of alcoholism, loses himself and spirals into nights of debauchery, riots and drunkenness. His twin brother, Adam, thinks lowly of him as his entire family struggles to help him.

But Zack is determined to make a mess of his life.

Until he meets a beautiful petite woman, half Cree and part British, who helps him to grow into a better version of himself.
Then just as he thinks life is getting better, he sinks to the bottom of hell. Will he survive from his own self-destruction?
The only way he sees out is to join the Canadian Navy.

The Battle of the Atlantic will either teach him or break him.

THE WARS BETWEEN US

With action packed adrenaline and steamy love scenes, The Wars Between Us will keep you gripped to your seat on a ride of addiction, unwavering love and the fight to stay alive during WWII.

This book is part of the Olason family saga, but it can definitely be read on its own. I loved catching up with this family and I especially loved reading about the relationship between Zach and his twin Adam. I am not huge on war stories, so I hesitated a little about reading this one, but I enjoyed the other books in the series, so I thought I would give it a chance. The wars in the title does deal with WWII and the Canadian Navy (fascinating, by the way), but also refers to the brothers who are very different. Although they love each other, there are definitely times when they don’t like each other very much, and I loved seeing their relationship grow and change.

Zach also wars with himself and the choices he makes. There were times I wanted to pick him up, slap him, and tell him to stop feeling so sorry for himself. But then there were other times when I wanted to comfort him and tell him that everything was going to be alright. When an author can make the reader feel that strongly about a character, that’s a good thing.

Ms. Boulet has, once again, crafted a tale that not only let me learn something, but also allowed me to become a part of this family vicariously. I have to admit, this is my favorite book of the series. I do hope she is planning on taking us into the next generation of the family. I’ll be on the lookout!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , ,

The American Earl by Joan Wolf

September 30, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The American Earl by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 3 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

When the Earl of Althorpe dies, his daughter Julia is horrified to learn that the new earl is an American. Her father has left their estate, Stoverton, burdened with enormous debt and the only good news about the new earl is that he’s a millionaire. Julia’s hope is that he will bail out the estate and go back home to America, leaving her to run Stoverton, as she always has.

Evan Marshall, the new earl, has no use for the British and certainly does not want to be an English earl. However, he finds not only has he inherited enormous debts, but he is now the guardian of two girls—Julia and her younger sister Maria.

On the advice of his aunt, he agrees to give Julia a London Season so she can catch a husband and take care of Maria. Then he’ll be able to go home to America, where he belongs.

Nothing goes according to either of these very determined people’s plans.

I’ve lost count of how many Joan Wolf books I’ve read. I do know the American Earl is consistent with her other previous books that I have experienced, ‘flawless and entertaining’.

l found that the synopsis was a very good summary of the story. If a reader finds synopsis interesting too, then definitely give it a shot. There aren’t any sudden or unexpected plot twists in this book. The storytelling is smooth and evenly paced from start to finish.

The characters are well developed and relatable. The heroine, Julia, is a confident individual who had her world fall out from under her. The hero, Evan, had his world turned upside down and was like a deer caught in headlights. Together they were like the blind leading the blind with the help of their relatives.

Observing the sweet romance bloom and blossom between Julia and Evan was fun and interesting. They came from two worlds that only true love could unite. There was actually one surprise near the end of the story that shook Julia’s world a second time but it did not drop the floor from under my feet. Evan was my hero as well as Julia’s. That’s all I can say about that.

I never read a historical with an American earl but the idea intrigued me and I’m glad that I took the time to read this book. I hope you will give it a chance too. Happy Reading!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Challenge Accepted by Jaqueline Snowe

September 29, 2021 By Leave a Comment


*Challenge Accepted by Jaqueline Snowe
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

College is all about learning, right?

Most college girls ‘swipe right’ to meet the right guy—Callie meets All-Star pitcher Zade while he’s buying tampons. College is all about learning, right?

How often do you meet your dream guy buying tampons at Target? Never, right? For Callie, a baseball-loving, hardworking college student, it happened just once. The magic was too real, too fast and too much, so she left the store without exchanging names.

But fate works in wonderful ways, right?

Zade Willows, the All-Star pitcher rumored to be drafted his senior year, gets what he wants. He has a fan club who follow his every move, but when he meets Callie, the game changes. She knows all his plays and that the game always ends—in heartbreak. But Zade doesn’t back down and is willing to try anything.

He’ll eventually get the girl, right?

When Zade and Callie meet at Target, they immediately connect. Challenge Accepted is a slow burn college sports romance that is sweet, fun and entertaining.

Zade and Callie meet when they are busy working on their college degrees. Neither one of them has any plans of settling down with one person. However, once they meet, it is impossible for them to fight their sizzling attraction. I thought Zade and Callie were perfect for each other. I loved these two together and enjoyed all their interactions; they have great dynamics and the bantering easily flows between them.

I loved Callie, she is smart and sassy and gives Zade a run for his money. I thought her confidence was her best attribute. Callie can’t help being attracted to Zade, a hot college baseball pitcher, but she treats him differently than the other girls on campus. She constantly keeps Zade on his toes. She sees him as a person not as a future pro baseball player, who will make a lot of money.

I liked Zade and I could understand why Callie was so attracted to him. On campus Zade has a reputation as a womanizer and it never bothered him, until he met Callie, the woman of his dreams. Zade likes everything about Callie, he has never met anyone like her, with Callie he has finally met his match. Zade wants more with Callie but he has to work hard before she trusts him. As they spend time together and the sparks fly, they slowly get to know each other and move toward a future together.

This is a slow burning and beautiful story. It has realistic character development and is easy to read, while being upbeat and tender. The characters are fun and likable and the story flows nicely. I also enjoyed the secondary characters, they are entertaining and add another dimension to the story. I highly recommend this sparkling and uplifting story.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,

Mile High with a Vampire by Lynsay Sands

September 28, 2021 By 1 Comment


Mile High with a Vampire by Lynsay Sands
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Romance, Mystery/Suspense
Rating: 5 Stars
Review by: Xeranthemum

In the latest Argeneau novel from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, an immortal and her mortal pilot are on the run from hungry vampires…and discover they’re life mates along the way.

Quinn Peters never wanted to be immortal. Once a renowned heart surgeon, she was turned against her will and now she has to drink blood to survive. Before she can ask how her “life” can get any worse, she’s in a plane crash. One of the few survivors, Quinn is desperate to get the mortal pilot to safety before her fellow immortals succumb to their blood lust and drain Jet dry.

But hungry vampires are the least of their worries—the crash wasn’t an accident, and someone is trying to kill Quinn. Will she and Jet find their happily ever after as life mates, or will her assassin find her first?

It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that I enjoyed from beginning to end and I’m happy to share that Mile High with a Vampire delivered a quality read from the very first pages. It starts with a plane crash, a race for survival, a close call and a revelation that the crash was intentional. That’s just in the beginning chapters, the rest of the plot is figuring out who is trying to kill one of the passengers and why, especially when they’ve done nothing wrong to anyone. Who would do something so foul that they’d be willing to murder everyone on the plane, not just their target? The suspense, the interesting interplay between characters and the well-written plot kept me glued to the story. I didn’t stop turning the pages until I finished the epilogue. Ms. Sands has delivered another winner for fans to enjoy.

It took me a while to remember that Quinn was Pet’s sister in the book, The Trouble with Vampires. That’s when I first learned about their horrific background when they were little kids. This novel, Mile High with a Vampire, completes the story of the two sisters. Quinn finally gets her happy ever after, but of course, she has a bunch of hoops to jump through to get it. She has finally accepted the fact that she needs therapy to deal with what her husband had done to her and their son, what she’s become and to heal enough to start living again. However, therapy ends up giving her a lot more to deal with than she expected. Which of course is the point. The villains who traumatized both Quinn and Pet all those years ago are back in the picture.

Now, the villains are not what I expected. Ms. Sands wrote a scene describing what happened to one of the villains from back in the past and I have to tell you, it’s freakishly horrifying. I actually felt really bad for the guy because it was over the top violent. You may wonder how that past event effects the present and it’s a good question. It’s one of the surprises that impressed me in this book. I would never have guessed it. It helped make the climactic fight scene more meaningful. I know this probably doesn’t make a lot of sense but once you read the book and get to that part, you’ll understand. I didn’t expect to feel any empathy but I kind of did. Don’t get me wrong – a bad guy is still a bad guy – and comeuppance is meted out, but Quinn and Petronella (Pet) weren’t the only ones affected by the past and that’s all I’m going to say.

Now, to get to the good stuff. The romance between Quinn and Jet. It works, it’s great, I thought they were wonderful together, and I liked both their personalities. I thought Jet was a studly hero but it turned out he’s a smart cookie. He’s not just a pretty face. Quinn is adorable. I liked a lot of her internal dialogue and the insight it provides gives a reader a reason to want her to be happy – and that she would choose Jet when she finally was ready.

Their physical chemistry is of course off the charts. Life mates are always hot and bothered for each other. Readers will get plenty of examples of just how ‘hot’ it gets. Fortunately, the book has just enough of those scenes to satisfy readers who like the nitty gritty details, but for readers who are looking for a solid plot conflict, dialogue, action, intelligence with great storytelling and pacing, this story delivers.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a hearty shout out to Lucien, Margarite, Sam, Tybo and so many others in the Argeneau and Notte families that came to help Quinn and Jet survive so they could enjoy their happily ever after. I adore that whole family dynamic and how they all come together to party when things are good, and when things get hairy, they band together to defend and fight for the ones they love when there’s trouble. I believe this is the 33rd book in the series – so that’s a lot of family ties to keep track of. Oh, it might be naughty of me, but I actually snickered when Lucien accidently gets … well, I’m not going to actually tell you what happens… Fans of the series will more than likely understand why I found that scene humorous and why I giggled. Since I didn’t expect that to happen, I’m not going to ruin the fun and surprise by letting the cat out of the bag. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happens.

On the whole, Mile High with a Vampire is a sure bet. It’s a fun and exciting adventure. I had a great time watching Quinn and Jet fall in love and you can be sure that I am adding this novel to my very large book pile of keepers. Many of Ms. Sands’ books have made it to my re-read list so many times, I’ve lot count. I’m thrilled with everything about this story and I heartily recommend it to paranormal romance fans in general, and to Ms. Sands’ fans specifically. It’s a great addition to the series and one not to miss.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Guardian by Joan Wolf

September 23, 2021 By Leave a Comment


The Guardian by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Gentle Reader:

My husband is dead and my four-year-old son is the new Earl of Weston. Perhaps even more catastrophic, however, is the news that my husband named his brother, Stephen, the guardian of Giles and of all the immense Grandville estate.

Five years ago, Stephen was banished to Jamaica and now he is coming home. Once the thought of Stephen coming home to me was all I wanted out of life. But not anymore. I have made my life without him. I have my son, my horses, my home.

There are some things that are unforgivable, as Stephen will find out if he thinks he can take up where he left off with me.

My fondest regards,
Annabelle Grandville

Chapter one, first sentence, “My God, my God, my God, he’s reading Gerald’s will.” What an amazing start! I know my eyes bugged out and I was immediately engaged into further reading the story. I was already intrigued after reading the synopsis. I’m officially a fan of Joan Wolf so I knew I wasn’t going to be able to put the book down with a start like that.

This is a historical romance which is one of my favorite genres. I am however a reviewer that doesn’t get stuck on how accurate an author is or not in the time period that she is writing. I read for pure entertainment purposes so if you are a reader that enjoys historical accuracy then I can’t testify to that. However, I can testify that this book was very entertaining.

The romance between the hero, Stephen and the heroine, Annabelle, was sensual and dangerous. There is a plot thread wrapped around their relationship that was suspenseful and mysterious. I didn’t feel this story was predictable. I felt like there were many moving parts that kept the story flowing at a steady pace.

The synopsis says “There are some things that are unforgivable, as Stephen will find out if he thinks he can take up where he left off with me.” I don’t usually quote a synopsis very often but in this case, it was called for. I enjoyed reading the love relationship between Stephen and Annabelle. It was fun to see how perceptions can be misleading. It’s interesting how lies and secrets can be manipulated in certain circumstances.

There are many layers in this story among the cast of characters. I felt the characters were well developed and relatable. I was given the sense of a strong loyal family with a few dysfunctional relatives. They all lived in a community where everyone knew each other. I didn’t have any trouble following along with the story line.

I appreciated that the book ended with an epilogue. Every detail was wrapped up in a pretty bow. I was sad to see the story come to an end.

I definitely would read this book again. I encourage others to give it a try. Happy Reading!

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »